


lightning in a bottle

by iesha



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AKA pidge, Alternate Universe, Drinking, Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Mentions of drugs, Mutual Pining, Pining Lance (Voltron), Pining Shiro (Voltron), Post-Canon, Post-War, Underage Drinking, Year of Shance 2019, allura lives in this one, mentions of withdrawal symptoms, there aren't any actual withdrawal symptoms but its mentioned in passing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2019-11-05 09:45:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17916458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iesha/pseuds/iesha
Summary: Lance had always considered himself a very flirtatious man; he enjoyed complimenting the men that he liked, and making sure they were loved… it was a rambunctious art that Lance had mastered over the span of his life. It was forward, but it had definitely worked to his advantage. Except, that is, with one person. A kind, warm, stoic person that tied Lance’s tongue into knots and made his hands quiver with nerves.Shiro was very aware of his feelings for Lance. Painfully aware of them, actually. He just had no idea how to handle them when they were at the forefront, so he kept them tucked away, hoping they would disappear over time. But, when a bubbly pink drink from another planet loosens his tongue… well, lets just say his inhibition goes flying out the window.





	1. the blush.

Picture this: a small ship, white and blue in Altea’s signature colours, carrying a group of seven people and a spacewolf as it whizzed past the cosmos at a skin-peeling pace. The space external to the lightweight metal is deadly quiet, the sounds the thrusters of the ship makes dissipating as soon as it touches the cosmic strata. To an onlooker, it’s almost peaceful.

 

Now picture the inside of this ship: seven people, one spacewolf - three vastly different species - wreaking havoc that does not (unfortunately) dissipate within the vessel itself. It was a little too loud for Lance, but he couldn’t deny he was getting a kick out of the commotion. Coran was singing, and singing  _terribly,_ much to Allura’s dismay.

 

“ _‘Round the planet when we come! We’ll be comin’ ‘round the planet when we come! We’ll comin-”_

 

To make things funnier, Kosmo, Keith’s spacewolf, howled between every phrase, as if he too were a part of the symphony.

 

“Coran…” Allura pleaded, face twisted with pain. “ _Enough.”_

 

Coran hooted joyfully. “ _Enough?_ I’m just getting started!” And he broke out into another song, only this time it definitely wasn’t in an earthly language.

 

This was a bit much, even for Lance’s taste.  “Are we there yet?” Lance groaned, his voice carrying through the metallic chamber of the ship they were flying in. He rubbed his temples, a dull aching slowly arising there.

 

“Remind yourself how old you are again.” Keith replied from the ship’s steering system. But his face was also pinched in aggravance so Lance paid no attention to the bite behind his words.

 

Lance pouted, and lifted his legs onto the seat he sat on. “Twenty-three, but does it honestly matter? We’ve been flying and flying and I haven’t even seen this so-called planet.”

 

“It’s called  _Eroznia,_ Lance.” Pidge rolled her eyes. “And I told you five minutes ago, we’re almost there.”

 

“Maybe we should all calm down for a while,” Shiro suggested, but his eyes definitely flitted to Coran’s direction. “We wouldn’t want to waste all of our energy on the ship. Beside, Coran, you’re our translator, we’ll need your voice out there.”

 

Coran stopped singing, and everyone let out a sigh of relief. “Excellent thinking, Shiro!”

 

Lance didn’t think Coran saw the collective sigh of relief the rest of the paladins took. From his spot in his chair, Lance sent a small, thankful smile in Shiro’s direction.  _Thank you._

 

Shiro caught the look, nodded back with a quirk to his mouth, and then quickly averted his gaze.

 

Lance sighed, and sulked. It had been months of this; the small glances, the quick detours. He just wanted to tell the big buff softy that he took Lance’s breath away and he wanted to so, so desperately take him out to dinner.

 

“Hey, Lance,” Keith called from the front a few moments later, voice already lighter. “There’s your ‘so-called’ planet,”

 

Lance, still a little lost in his thoughts (as he often was since the war ended), rose to his feet slowly, and leaned over the dashboard. His elbows rested on the cool metal as he peered into the universe, eyes scanning the horizon.

 

“Woah,” He breathed.

 

In all his years in space, travelling across the world to help the coalition, there was something about finding new planets that always took Lance’s breath away. It was a feeling that would always be new to him.

 

Eroznia wasn’t a particularly large planet, but it was obvious even from space that it was abundant with life. Lance saw the colour green first; varying shades of the colour. Emerald. Forest. Dark, light, sea… and then he saw the patches of brightness. Pops of yellows and pinks and the blues of water.

 

“It’s called Eroznia, right?” He asked as he straightened up again. He looked around the cockpit, waiting for someone to answer. His eyes rested on Shiro’s face, who was staring in his general direction oddly. It was a mixture of awe and something softer… Lance looked back at the planet and thought that he probably looked like that when he first saw Eroznia too. When he looked back, Shiro was staring determinedly at his clasped hands in his seat, the tips of his ears a bright shade of pink.

 

Lance blinked.

 

“Yeah,” Pidge answered him, a grin pulling at her lips as she bounced excitedly on her toes. “It looks  _so cool!_ ”

 

“Preparing for landing,” Keith cut through the excitement, but Lance could tell his eyes were bright too. “Guys, find a seat, or risk getting your bones broken by potential turbulence.”

 

“Oh,” Hunk’s excitement fizzled as he quickly found an abandoned seat. “Great. Thanks for that reminder, Keith.”

 

\--

 

Eroznia was as beautiful on its surface as it appeared in space. The team discovered the pockets of colour were actually civilizations, with buildings painted in varying shades of bright colours. Pink was the most common.

 

“Hunk!” Pidge squealed, jumping up and down as she took everything in. “You always pick the best drinking spots!”

 

“Hang out,” Hunk corrected, but he was smiling. “This is a hang out spot.”

 

Pidge brushed off the pointed looks the of-aged sent her. “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say big guy. Anyways, I’m gonna run scans on some of the plants here for mom, I’ll join you guys in a bit!”

 

Coran expressed his interest flambountly and followed the youngest paladin into the crowd.

 

Shiro looked pained, “We haven’t even been here for five minutes and we’ve lost two members.”

 

Lance was buzzing. “Oh, they’ll be fine. Guys, let’s  _go,_ there’s a whole planet here to explore!” He whined, coming up behind Shiro to push him forwards, his hands against Shiro’s strong shoulders. Lance tried not to think too hard about it.

 

Shiro laughed and began moving his feet.

 

Lance grinned at his feet, still pushing away. New planets took Lance’s breath away, but the sound of Shiro’s laugh was still better than anything they had to offer.

 

\--

 

Hunk led them to their ‘hang out’ spot an hour later, after the group had explored and regrouped. It was, like the rest of the planet, a visually beautiful place; it was a restaurant of some sort, nestled in the mount of a cave. Tiny floating orbs drifted above the heads of the customers, shedding light onto the tables. To Lance, they looked like the tiny bubbles he blew as a kid, shining under the sunlight, only in this case the light was  _inside them._

 

“Hunk, why did you choose this place?” Allura asked, tucking a strand of white hair behind her ears. Her hair was open, and she was dressed in a pair of jeans, and a white off the shoulder top. If this date had occurred during the war, Lance wouldn’t have been able to take his eyes off her. Now though, Lance thought of her like a sister; a shoulder to lean on, a friend to vent to.

 

Hunk perked up, golden eyes twinkling. “Well, when I took Romelle on my  _Chefs in Space_ tour, we made a stop here! I’d heard that the drinks they serve here are one-of-a-kind, and I wanted to see them for myself. Apparently, they’re universally known to be delicious and super fun to drink.”

 

Keith frowned suspiciously. “What do you mean ‘fun’ to drink?”

 

“Like,  _fun!_ They have different side-affects - nothing dangerous, I promise!” He quickly added when Shiro made a noise of panic. “It’s safe. They just make you see things differently, or do things to your body. And they only last a few minutes, so nothing is permanent!”

 

“So…” Keith said slowly. “They’re space drugs.”

 

Hunk floundered for words. “I… yeah. Yeah, I guess, if you wanna think of it that way.”

 

“Are you sure you wanna try this stuff…” Shiro asked dubiously. “I mean, what if you get symptoms of withdrawal?”

 

“ _Shiro!”_ Hunk whined. “I did my research. Just trust me, okay? Romelle and I tried a few, and we’re fine! We’ll all be okay.”

 

Lance grinned, and clapped a hand on Hunk’s back. “Hey, if Hunk is confident, I trust him. He knows what he’s doing.”

 

Allura shrugged. “Alright, why not.” She put her hair into a ponytail.

 

Keith nodded, and Pidge grinned. “Count me in.”

 

“Me too! Years ago, I was able to try the Wizzdinger on my travels with King Alfor. Now  _that_ was a night to remember!”

 

They all looked at Shiro expectantly.

 

“Well, Number One? What do you say?”

 

“I…” Shiro hesitated. Lance met his eyes, and placed his hand in his chin. An expectant smile played on his lips, and when he was looking at Shiro like that, how could he say no? “Yeah… okay. Okay.”

 

There was a cheer, and with a wave towards the nearest bartender, the rounds were ordered. They got a few glasses of everything, since it  _was_ the first time they had gotten together in a long time, and they were (mostly) legally adults, and they were in space so who cares?

 

They decided to take their first sip together, out a drink called the Limrack. Lance held the drink up first, and made a toast. “To us!” He grinned, hoping his voice didn’t sound too sappy. “For literally being the coolest people in the world.”

 

“Even Keith?” Pidge joked, jabbing her elbow in Keith’s side. He squacked in surprise, and smacked her hands away, gold liquid sloshing in his glass dangerously.

 

Lance grinned wider. “Yes, even mullet-head Keith.” And then they downed their drinks.

 

It was a gentle first drink. It warmed them as it went down, sweet in taste.

 

They waited for the drink to take its effect, glancing around and at their own hands anxiously for any sign of transformation.

 

“Maybe it was just a regular drink?” Shiro suggested. He froze.

 

Slowly, everyone turned to face him.

 

Shiro was… singing?

 

“No. Way.” Lance howled with laughter, except he was singing too, and he wasn’t quite sure how to make it stop. “Ohhh my god!” He sounded heavily autotuned.

 

Before they knew it, they all began talking - singing? - over each other, doubling over at the sound of each others voices.

 

Lance watched as Pidge and Hunk took turns reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with tears in his eyes. “Guys! Oh my god!” He waved his hands in front of the two. “Stop, I think I’m gonna die.”

 

Keith was bent over, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. “St-stop talking!!” He gasped, forehead pressed against the counter.

 

Lance immediately leaned over and grabbed another drink, except this one was completely clear. He could feel the warmth from the first drink slowly fade away as he downed the second. This one, to his shock, was freezing cold. He slammed the shot glass on the counter and let out a high pitched noise, goosebumps raising over his arms. He forced himself to breathe out. Frost followed his breath.

 

“Hey! Lance turned into Elsa!” Pidge teased, voice back to normal.

 

“There’s ice on my eyebrows,” Lance pouted as he used his thumb to scrub away the crystallization, snowflakes shooting out of his mouth with every word.

 

Pidge took a sip of the same drink, and blew out in front of her violently. A gust of wind carried with her breath, and slammed into Lance. “There,” She said proudly. “Now you look like him too.”

 

The wind had crystallized an icy beard onto Lance’s face. “Ha, ha.” He grumbled, as he continued to wipe snow off his face.

 

\--

 

Time guzzled on. Every drink was more fun than the last, and Lance wished to whatever supreme being the Eroznian’s believed in that this good feeling would never stop. One sip after the next, they tested the effects of the drinks; one made you float in the air, another produced tiny storms over your skin. Lance found his favourite was vial of silver liquid that made little specks of glitter follow your movements, partly because it made Shiro look like a fairy and mostly because the glitter got stuck in his hair, and the combination of his white hair and the silver specks made him look  _heavenly._

 

The group’s commotion had attracted more than one eye, and Lance noticed, as time wore on, more and more people were ordering drinks. The shop owners noticed this too, and offered them one free drink, on the house.

 

“It’s the signature drink of Eroznia!” Coran translated, eyes lighting up. “The Eroznians call it  _Venosh._ It’s even spelt with special grammar!”

 

Lance looked around from where he was slumped in his seat, warm all over. “Who wants to do the honors?”

 

“Not me,” Allura groaned, her face in her hands. “I think I drank too much of the Ooflah. The room still feels like it’s spinning.”

 

Hunk nodded. “Yeah, I’m good too.”

 

“Can I have it?” Shiro asked, almost timidly.

 

Keith shrugged, eyes drooping. “Go for it, man.”

 

Lance pushed the small shot glass in Shiro’s direction, the pads of his fingers picking up the moisture on the surface. “Bottoms up,”

 

It was bright pink, and it might have been glowing but Lance was a little out of it, so he didn’t really trust himself to say. He watched closely as Shiro lifted the glass to his lips, whatever alcoholic substance in his system making him a lot more obvious in his pining than usual. Lance knew he was blushing, and it was the heat in his face that finally made him tear his eyes away from the bobbing of Shiro’s Adam’s apple.

 

When Lance had calmed down enough to glance over, he found Shiro staring at the empty glass in confusion.

 

“What’s it doin’ to you?” Keith yawned.

 

“Uh…” Shiro began, his voice sending a zap down Lance’s spine. It was deeper than a few moments ago, a little rough. “I’m not sure… do I look any different?”

 

They all peered in closer.

“Your eyes are pink.” Hunk noted, although his voice didn’t convey much enthusiasm. After the magical displays the other drinks had, this one was… well, mediocre.

 

Pidge nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe the Eroznian’s just really like the colour pink?”

 

There were scattered ‘yeah’’s and ‘could be’’s, but everyone was tired and Lance couldn’t lie to himself and say he wasn’t even a little asleep.

 

\--

 

On the way back, Lance found himself walking beside Shiro. He wasn’t tipsy per se, but he did feel warm all over and a little sleepy. It was the same feeling he got after eating a good meal. Lance shot a curious look at Shiro through his lashes, to see how he was holding up. He caught sight of his jaw, angled and sharp, and the scruffy little hairs at the nape of his neck. Shiro’s cheeks looked a little flushed, but he was walking in a straight line so Lance decided he was doing okay.

 

Lance looked in front, cheeks heating up again.

 

It was a silent walk back to the ship, Shiro’s shoulder brushing against Lance’s on accident every once in a while.

 

\--

 

Almost everyone fell asleep on the trip back to earth, so Coran piloted back. He hummed under his breath as stars and nebulae whizzed by. It was soft tune that made Lance’s eyelids droop too.

 

There was a nudge against Lance’s foot, drawing him back into his consciousness. Shiro sat in the seat beside Lance, eyebrows drawn, one leg folded underneath him.

 

Lance frowned, and sat up a little straighter. “Everything okay?” He asked, voice a little croaky with sleep.

 

Shiro was still a little flushed. “I-I’m not sure. Are my eyes still pink?” He sounded a little breathless, which made Lance’s concern spike.

 

“I’m not sure. Come closer, I can’t see when you’re so far away.”

 

There was the sound of rustling clothing, and before he knew it, Lance was peering into Shiro’s cloud grey eyes, close enough to feel his breath fanning over his lips. It disoriented him, and for a moment Lance was looking into Shiro’s eyes just for the sake of looking.

 

“They’re back to normal,” Lance sounded choked, even to his own ears. He cleared his throat, and leaned backwards. “Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked again, leaning his body’s weight onto one armrest, eyebrows drawn in worry.

 

Even in the dim light, Lance noticed the colour of Shiro’s cheeks get darker. Beads of sweat dotted Shiro’s forehead from under the longer tendrils of hair that hung over his face.

 

Shiro swallowed thickly. “I-I think so? I’m just feeling… a little warm.”

 

Lance tried not to watch the movement of Shiro’s muscles as his prosthetic reached up to push his hair out of his eyes. “Just close your eyes,” Lance suggested softly. “Try sleeping it off,”

 

Shiro nodded, and closed his eyes, head leaned back. Sweat shone on his neck, too.

 

Shiro was asleep in under ten minutes, and all Lance could do was try not to stare. 


	2. the flirt.

 

It was Shiro that gently nudged Lance awake when they landed on earth. 

 

“Lance…” His voice was soft, still sleepy. “Wake up, we’re home.”

 

When Lance opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was something obstructing his line of sight. “Wha…” He groaned, hand patting the dark patch sluggishly. 

 

“Oh,” Shiro cleared his throat. “I woke up while we were landing, and saw you were shivering a little, so I put my jacket over you.” He tone changed, now a little hesitant. “I hope that was okay.”

 

Lance lifted the jacket from his face, heart thudding. “Yeah, it was okay. Thanks,” He said, trying to sound nonchalant. He patted down his fringe with one hand, and yawned into the other. “Are you feeling better?” He focused on Shiro with narrowed eyes, inspecting his appearance. 

 

“Uh…” Shiro scratched his ear, thinking. “A little, I think. It still feels too hot, but I think it’s just because we’re on earth now.”

 

Lance nodded slowly, still suspicious. “Maybe you should get it checked out by Coran…”

 

Shiro immediately held his hands up, shaking his head. “No, no. I’m fine, honestly. I don’t feel sick or anything,” He smiled convincingly. “Like I said, it’s probably just because of how hot it is right now.”

 

Lance stood up, feeling the bones in his legs pop with the movement. “Just promise me you’ll tell me if it doesn’t go away by tomorrow morning.” 

 

Shiro nodded seriously. “I promise.” He held up his pinky. 

 

Lance stared at the outstretched digit. His heart fluttered in his chest. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn’t actually dreaming… It was an innocent gesture, but Lance struggled to reconcile the two images; Shiro, a leader, the most distant, the most intimidating, standing with his pinky out like a little child making an important promise. Lance’s eyes flicked to Shiro’s and then back to his hand. This was new. This was so so so new and Lance was freaking out, just a little bit. He thought he might coo at how cute Shiro looked under the moonlight, hair slightly askew. 

 

With a teasing sort of smile, he raised his own hand and hooked his pinky with Shiro’s. “If the side effects are making you this carefree, maybe you  _ shouldn’t  _ get it checked out.” 

 

Shiro cocked his head to the side, a curious tilt on his mouth, eyes bright in the moonlight. There were still a few specks of glitter in his hair. “Maybe I shouldn’t. Goodnight, Lance.”

 

And then he was gone, and Lance’s hand was still in the air. 

 

“Lance! My boy! Are you coming?” Coran’s voice hollered from outside. 

 

Lance shook his head as if to clear it. “Coming!” He called back, and exited the pod as he tried to push the thoughts of Shiro’s skin against his from his mind.

  
  


\--

  
  


Shiro still looked feverish the next day. 

 

Lance watched him in concern from across the table, fingers gently tapping the glass tabletop. From in front of the large screen at the far end of th room, Iverson was outlining the recovery  progress; while it had been three years since the war ended, they had only begun to scratch the surface when it came to repairs. Thankfully, though, the process was shortened considerably with the help of their allies from space. Pidge had shown the team their efforts thus far, and even Lance had to admit he was impressed; the plans for new buildings were not only infused with alien technology, it was  _ green  _ technology, easing the strain off the earth’s already depleted natural resources without sacrificing durability. Lance listened silently, attention divided between listening to the presentation, and keeping an eye on Shiro. He bounced his leg nervously under the table, eyes flicking towards the clock every now and again as if it would make it turn faster. 

 

There was the flood of relief when Iverson gruffly told them, “That’s it for today.” 

 

Lance shot up from his seat, and pretended to stretch as the room cleared out. Iverson lingered behind with Coran as they discussed the rate of rebuilding, how best to maintain interplanetary relations, and so many other things that Lance could care less about at the moment.  _ Shoo!  _ He wanted to yell.  _ Scram!  _

 

“You coming?” Hunk asked, already moving towards the door. 

 

“In a minute,” Lance assured. “I’ll meet you outside.” Hunk shrugged, and left, Pidge and Keith on either side of him. 

 

Finally, Coran and Iverson took their conversation outside, voices fading as they walked down the hall. 

 

Shiro was still bent over his papers, but his eyes were closed now, and he was looking as if he was struggling to breathe. 

 

“Shiro.” Lance’s voice was hard and commanding. Shiro’s eyes opened. “You look like shit.” 

 

Shiro blinked as if he wasn’t expecting Lance to still be there. “What are you still doing here?” He asked in confusion. 

 

The other boy waved off the question and took a seat on the tabletop, legs crossed as he faced Shiro. “Checking up on you, duh.” He leaned on one hand, a knee shaking with nervousness. “You don’t look so good.” He repeated. 

 

Shiro immediately began gathering his things. “I’m  _ fine,  _ I promise -” He was slithering out of the conversation, like he always did when people were worried about him. 

 

Impulsively, Lance’s hand come down to hold Shiro’s papers down against the table. Shiro stilled. He gave a testing wiggle, but the papers were held still. They met eyes. 

 

Lance hoped he looked determined. “You know I can tell when you lie, right?” 

 

His voice was stern, chin tilted almost superiorly. This was new too. Lance had never spoken like that to someone he still occasionally considered as his captain, nor had he ever see Shiro such a lovely shade of red. 

 

“And how, pray tell, do you know?” Shiro asked, finally giving up and dropping his hand. He leaned back in his seat, and crossed his arms instead. 

 

Lance gathered the papers, tapping them on the tabletop so they lay on the same level. “Because. You go MIA, and if you’re actually around us, you’re extra formal.” Lance shot him a knowing look. “And you immediately try to change the subject, which is  _ so  _ obvious.” 

 

Shiro refused to say anything, but his knee began bobbing up and down so Lance knew he had found a crack. 

 

Lance set the papers down beside him in a neat stack, and scooted forward so that his legs hung over the edge of the table. His shins almost touched Shiro’s knees, but there was a line that Lance was still afraid of crossing, so he let that sliver of space hand between them. 

 

“Shiro,” Lance repeated, gently. “What’s going on, man?”

 

A tired groan escaped Shiro’s lips, his head falling back, arms uncrossing. Lance had an amazing view of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed thickly. 

 

“Nothing is wrong, exactly.” Shiro finally muttered, voice flat. “I just feel  _ out  _ of it. It’s like I can’t think properly.” 

 

Lance his chest clench. “Is it your nightmares?” He asked hesitantly, not knowing if this was too close, too personal for Shiro to share. The team knew he had them from their time in space together, and it was something they were always attentive to, whether or not Shiro decided to open up to them. 

 

To Lance’s surprise, Shiro immediately shook his head. “No!” He cleared his throat and sat up. In a calmer tone, “No, it’s kind of the opposite.” At Lance’s concerned look, he continued. “I promise it’s not related to my nightmares.”

 

The knot inside Lance’s chest loosened. “Pinky promise?” Lance teased, a tilt to his mouth. 

 

Shiro blushed again. “ _ Lance - _ ” He groaned, throwing his head back again. 

 

Lance laughed, and playfully kicked Shiro’s knee. “Oh, relax. It was cute,” 

 

Shiro shook his head. “That was  _ childish.  _ You want to know what’s cute? You snuggled under my jacket.” 

 

Lance blinked, feeling his face heat up. He grinned, hoping Shiro didn’t notice. “Aw, Shiro, are you flirting with me?” Lance waggled his eyebrows. 

 

But Shiro was already packing up, prosthetic arm reaching to swipe his bag off the floor. He slid the stack of papers that Lance had arranged into his hand before straightening, eyeing Lance with a look he couldn’t fully decipher. “What do you think?” He questioned, his own voice light and teasing. 

 

Lance watched Shiro pivot slowly and walk out of the conference room, mind spinning in every direction at once. 

 

\-- 

 

Lance couldn’t focus for the rest of the day. 

 

_ What do you think?  _

 

Shiro’s playful voice rang through his mind, stirring his imagination. 

 

Was _ he flirting with me?  _ Lance asked himself incredulously.  _ Did that happen? Oh my god.  _ He dropped his head into his hands, feeling as if he stepped off a cliff. The idea of Shiro flirting with him was almost too much to handle.

 

_ What do you think? _

 

“Dude, are you alright?” Hunk broke the silence in their apartment, voice coming from the kitchen. The microwave whirred behind him. From his place on the couch, Lance looked up to find Hunk leaning over the kitchen counter. 

 

“Yeah,” Lance nodded. “I’m just thinkin’ of something.” He added absently. 

 

“Uh oh.” 

 

“ _ Hunk.”  _

 

Hunk held up his hands in surrender, but his soft eyes were lined with concern. “Everything okay, though?” 

 

Lance immediately nodded. “Yeah! It’s nothing like that.” 

 

“Then what’s on your mind?” 

 

Lance sighed and turned around so that his chin was resting on the back of the sofa, a pout on his lips. “How do you know if someone likes you?” He muttered, somewhat embarrassedly. 

 

Hunk’s demeanor almost immediately changed, a smile breaking out over his face. “Is there someone specific in mind?” He mused suggestively. 

 

Lance reddened. “I’ll tell you after you answer the question,”

 

The microwave beeped. Hunk turned to open the microwave door with a shrug, “Depends on the person, I guess. What exactly are we working with here?”

 

“He works a lot.” Lance tried to explain. “It’s always work first, feelings last.” 

 

Hunk hummed. “I guess for a person like that, it’s the little things they do that are the most obvious. Like, when he talks to you, how close does he sit? When you talk to him, how does he listen to you?” 

 

Lance listened silently, mind wandering. 

 

When Hunk turned around again, there was a bowl full of popcorn in his hands. “Besides, if we’re talking about a stoic person, shouldn’t the fact that you’re wondering about it show that he  _ has  _ been acting differently around you?” 

 

Lance nodded slowly. 

 

_ What do you think?  _

 

“I guess you’re right.” Lance admitted slowly, colour raising to his cheeks. 

 

“I’m always right.” Hunk corrected, stuffing a hand full of popcorn into his mouth. “Is this mystery man someone we know, by chance?”

 

Lance blushed harder. “Maybe.”

 

Hunk grinned. “I knew it was Shiro!” 

 

Lance’s mouth opened and closed rapidly, trying to find the right words. “Wha - How - How did you know?!”

 

Hunk aimed a kernel of popcorn directly at the centre of Lance’s forehead. “ _ Because,  _ you goof, it’s obvious.” He snorted.  _ To everyone but you two, apparently,  _ he added in his mind. “Who else fits that description?”

 

Lance deflated, burying his face against the leather of the couch, and groaned. “Now that you know who it is, would you still say he’s flirting with me?” 

 

Hunk levelled Lance with a confident glance. “Absolutely.” 

 

The blue-eyed boy looked up hesitantly. “... Really?” 

 

“Trust me, we’ve all noticed, especially in the last couple of days.”

 

A thrill of excitement shot through Lance’s stomach. “Oh my god.” He said again, covering his face. 

 

Hunk rolled his eyes at his best friends’ crisis. “Why do you not sound happy?”

 

“I am! I’m gonna melt into a puddle, Hunk. Like, it’s  _ about _ to happen.”

 

“What’re you gonna do?”

 

“I don’t knoooow,” Lance whined, flipping over so his back was on the arm rest now. “Wait until I’m sure?” 

 

“And what about after that?”

 

Lance exhaled slowly, gathering his courage to speak the next phrase out loud. 

 

“After that, I’m gonna ask him out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another update! first and foremost, i wanna say thank you to auspiciousagape on tumblr, for being a sweetheart and giving me writing advice when i was goin through a block. secondly, this fic started out as a) a submission for the shance year 2k19 and b) a way for me to challenge myself and write characters like shiro, who are more professional and serious, in a lighthearted way. it definitely isn't perfect, but i feel like i'm getting better! 
> 
> as always, if you made it this far, thank you for sticking around! kudos and comments are always appreciated, and so is constructive criticism ! 
> 
> i hope you all have a great day xx <3


	3. the date.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lance plans his romance only to have Shiro two steps ahead of him. Keith hates parties. Hunk is the bestest friend.

 

The next day the Garrison announced their decision to hold Earth’s first interplanetary summit. It was meant to be the next step in Earth’s alliance with the rest of the universe, a public showing of peace and acceptance. Iverson broke the news to the conference room during their daily meetings, Shiro on one side and Allura on the other, a coil of bundled energy. Shiro stood silently, stance commanding but his hard lines softened by the slight smile tilting his lips, grey eyes bright with contained excitement. Rightfully so too, because even Lance felt the feeling swell inside of him as his peers broke out into surprised chatter. 

 

“Settle down! The meeting’s not over yet,” Iverson commanded curtly. “Captain Shirogane and Princess Allura will explain further, so please contain yourselves until they’re finished,” 

 

Allura stepped forward dutifully, smiling wide. “The past three years have been difficult for all of us; the extent Honerva’s damage reaches across multiple galaxies. Earth has come a long way with it’s restoration process since the war ended, and we -” She motioned between herself, Shiro, and Iverson. “- believe that this is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our appreciation towards those that have aided us.”

 

“It would also present valuable diplomatic opportunities as well,” Shiro jumped in. “Our relations with the Olkari are stronger than ever, but it’s time we start getting familiar with the other members of the Coalition. We’ve all been working hard to rebuild. We can benefit from sharing our resources and abilities with each other,” 

 

From across the table, Matt’s hand raised. When Iverson nodded his head in acknowledgement, Matt began speaking. “What exactly is the summit going to look like?” He asked, leaning forward on his elbows. 

 

“It’ll be formal,” Iverson answered, pointedly ignoring the small groan that came from Keith’s general direction. 

 

“Think of it this way,” Shiro continued. “It may be diplomatic event, but it’s meant to be fun for everyone,” 

 

“So it’s a party,” 

 

“Of a sorts,” Allura allowed. 

 

“A formal party!” Iverson quickly reminded Matt.

 

Lance’s hand also lifted. “When is this going to happen?” 

 

Shiro looked over in his direction. “We’re thinking of placing it at the end of the next month to allow everyone enough time for preparations,” 

 

“We’ve comprised the first draft of the invitation already, so you all will be able to see the guest list today,” Allura continued, stepping back to sweep a small pile of papers into her hand. 

 

There was the sound of general conversation as the meeting’s atmosphere broke. Iverson took his seat at the front of the conference table, looking hopeful despite his rigid attitude during the announcement. Lance assumed that Shiro would take the seat next to Iverson, but he was surprised to see him start heading in his direction. 

 

Lance couldn’t help but think of the conversation he had with Hunk last night. He had told Hunk that he planned to find out for sure what exactly was going on between him and Shiro, whether it was  _ something more _ . He didn’t want to admit it that night, but he guessed a part of him had been expecting to find signs that would confirm the opposite. Shiro was  _ Shiro _ , why would he suddenly be interested in Lance? But even as he wondered, it was hard to come up with contradictions when Shiro was walking towards him, fully smiling and looking at Lance as if he was the only person in the room. Lance’s heart did a painful flip. 

 

“What do you think?” Shiro asked as he came to a stop in front of Lance, excitement now seeping into his voice. He looked so close to the man that had asked Lance for a pinky promise, hopeful and maybe even a little childish. 

 

“I think it’s great, Shiro,” Lance said earnestly, sitting up a little straighter as he swiveled his chair to face him. “How long have you guys been planning this?” 

 

“About two weeks,” Shiro admitted, pulling out the office chair next to Lance. “There were too many officials to talk to,” He whispered the last bit as he bent over to sit in the chair, his face hair-raisingly close to Lance’s for a few seconds before he settled into his seat. 

 

Lance felt Shiro’s words travelling over his skin and forced his voice to sound normal. “You say that as if they could say no to the Garrison’s favourite alumni,” 

 

Shiro laughed, a short but joyful sound. “I don’t think the officials are allowed to have favourites,”

 

“It’s not the officials that are having them, though,” Lance teased and enjoyed watching Shiro go light pink. 

 

A stack of invitations slid onto the tablespace beside Lance before Shiro could respond and Lance grabbed the top invitation. He slid the pile along to Shiro, who passed it along without taking one. He helped Allura curate and design the invitations, so he didn’t even need to see the list to know who was coming. As Lance’s eyes skimmed the guest list, he picked out familiar names. The Blade of Marmora, the Olkari, the Arusians… 

 

“It’s the whole gang,” Lance mused. “Who’s idea was it?”

 

Shiro looked at his hands, strong and steady and laced with scars in his lap. “Mine,” He said sheepishly. “I thought it would benefit everyone involved, so I pitched the idea. Allura agreed almost immediately. Iverson took a little more convincing because he was concerned with how Earth would handle so many different people here at once, but I think he’s looking forward to it, too,”

 

Lance smiled proudly. ”Well done, captain,” 

 

Shiro blushed again. “Of course, that means it’s my responsibility to make sure the night goes well,” He continued on, refusing to accept the praise completely. 

 

Lance used his foot to swivel in his seat so their knees bumped together playfully. “I couldn’t think of anyone more capable,” He said without hesitation. 

 

Shiro nudged Lance’s knee back. “Will you go with me?” 

 

Lance blinked and cocked his head imploringly. “Go where?”

 

Shiro nibbled on his bottom lip, ears pinking. “To the summit,” 

 

It took him a moment to realise that Shiro was asking him to be his date. It took another to realise that Shiro was  _ nervous _ .  “Oh,” Lance felt butterflies take flight in his stomach. “ _ Oh.”  _ This had to be a dream. Right? This was too good, something made from Lance’s fantasies. Damn his stupid brain, he couldn’t form  _ words- _

 

Shiro quickly tried to backtrack. “Only if you want to! Actually, now that I think about it, you probably were thinking of asking someone else. You know what? It’s okay, forget I-” 

 

“Shut up, Shiro _ , _ ” Lance blurted. Shiro stopped obediently, looking mildly surprised. “Of course I’ll go with you.” 

 

Now it was Shiro’s turn to be stunned into silence. “Oh,” A grin lit up his face, and he leaned back in his chair as if in relief. “ _ Oh.  _ Okay.” He cleared his throat, but he was still smiling. “Perfect.” He raised a hand to his mouth to cover his flustered smile. 

 

Lance thought he was going to die. He had to be dying, how else was this possible? And Shiro looked so cute too, all hidden smiles and rosy cheeks. Lance mentally snapped a picture to add to his ever growing ‘Cute Shiro’ album in his brain, and thought about the Shiro that was bathed in moonlight, and the Shiro that asked for a pinky promise. Lance made no move to hide his own smile. “It’s a date.” 

 

~*~

 

“HuuuuUUUUNK!” Lance screamed as he barrelled into their flat. His hand fumbled on the locks as he tried to pull the keys out, feet already tripping over themselves as he kicked off his shoes. There was a crash from Hunk’s room, and the sound of someone swearing loudly. A few seconds later, Hunk crashed into the entry, a pair of heavy boots held in his hands as weapons. 

 

“What! What’s wrong? Who’s hurting you?” Hunk yelled back, glancing wildly around the room. 

 

Lance wasted no time closing the space between them, jumping and wrapping his legs around Hunk’s waist and fastening his arms around his neck. Hunk careened backwards, but caught himself with one hand on the wall behind him. Lance was still screaming incoherently. 

 

“Shiro asked me!”

 

“What?!” Hunk floundered loudly, mind trying to grasp the situation. “What’d he ask you?”

 

Lance pulled away from Hunk’s neck, face flushed but undoubtedly ecstatic. “To the summit! He asked me to be his date!”

 

Hunk gaped, and then hooted out a cry of victory. “I knew it! I’m so happy for you!” He wrapped his arms around Lance’s lean body and squeezed. “Tell me everything,”

 

Lance hardly noticed that he couldn’t breathe. “It was after the meeting while the invites were being handed out. He was  _ nervous _ , Hunk! I couldn’t believe what he was saying so I forgot to say something back and he thought I didn’t want to go but I  _ did _ so I told him to shut up and of course I’d go with him,” He took a deep breath. “Am I dreaming?”

 

Hunk grinned ear to ear. “As if. I told you he was interested!”

 

Lance squealed and gave Hunk another quick squeeze before hopping down. “He said it was perfect. Can you believe that?” Lance said, eyes dancing. 

 

Hunk settled a hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “Of course I can. You’re such a great guy, Lance. I’m certain Shiro’s looking forward to it a lot,”

 

Sighing happily, Lance walked towards the couch, feeling light as air, and plopped down on the couch. He closed his eyes, and there he was again; moonlight Shiro on the day they went to Eroznia, glitter shining in his pale hair. “I am too,” He admitted gently. “I still can’t believe it’s happening,”

 

Even with his eyes closed, Lance registered Hunk as he settled on the arm rest of the couch. “I’m happy for you, Lance,” He said. 

 

Lance smiled into his arms. The fluttering was back again, starting in his heart and making its way into his stomach. After a few moments of content silence, Hunk stook up again. 

 

“Well, I should probably get back to work. Pidge wanted me to check out some of the blueprints she sent me before our next meeting, and I definitely don’t want to make the mistake of falling behind again. Dinner is in the fridge if you’re hungry,” 

 

Lance flashed him a thumbs up and listened as the sound of his heavy tread disappeared down the hall. 

 

Last night, he had told Hunk that he wanted to find out whether or not Shiro liked him or not. He told himself that if he didn’t, he’d find a way to move on, to cut that string off. If he  _ did _ , he told Hunk he would ask him out. Only, Shiro had beaten him to it and Lance was very lost as to what it meant. His heart told him that all the blushing, all the covert flirtation very strong signs of that  _ something more  _ he had been prepping himself to look for, but his brain kept tripping over itself asking… was it  _ really _ ? Or was Lance just looking for the signs he wanted to see and was taking Shiro’s actions out of proportion? At the end of the day, Shiro was Shiro. Brave, kind, intelligent, and with the body of a Greek god. He was the pilot of the Black Lion and then Captain of the ATLAS and now one of the most important staff members at the Garrison. One look from him was enough to turn Lance’s legs to jelly and his brain to stop working.

 

And Lance? His achievements rode on the back of other’s progression (and regression), a convenient replacement. He was clumsy, and still a little childish. He wasn’t particularly the brightest, not like Pidge and Hunk, nor was he like Keith, who’s combat skills were widely talked about. He was good with words and he knew he was kind, but was that enough? 

 

Insecurity was something that Lance wished he could cut himself from. Most of the time, he could quell the voices in his mind, but there were times where he just couldn’t help but spiral. Tread down that tunnel that only got darker until someone guided him back. Often, he could pull himself back. Other times he wasn’t so lucky. 

 

This time, he forced himself to put the pieces that were chipping away to reveal the chasm that made him back where they belong. He let himself take as long as he needed to be put back together. When he felt better, he sat up, stretched, looked at the time. 

 

Then with a calming breath, he headed towards the fridge. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooowowowowow it's been a really long time. Apologies! I had the majority of the chapter written out but for some reason the ending of it kept stumping me. Is it better now? Who knows! But I do like it, and I hope you do too! As always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated and cherished! 
> 
> Have a lovely day!


	4. the promise.

Lance lay on his stomach, one hand cupping his chin while he used the other to scroll through his laptop. His mind was still trying to spiral down that dark alley of self doubt and insecurities, but Lance kept a tight grip on his emotions, determined to outlast his persistent thoughts. 

 

His name was Lance McClain. He had been the pilot of the Blue Lion. He helped save the universe from total destruction. He had friends that loved him. He had the best family anyone could ask for beside him, supporting him no matter what. Lance knew that was more than enough. 

 

Lance’s eyes burned against the harsh glow of his laptop screen and the darkness of his room. The little clock in the corner of his screen told him it was early in the morning, yet Lance couldn’t manage to feel even a little tired. If anything, he was starting to crave a midnight snack. 

 

As if on cue, his stomach groaned. 

 

With a sigh, he flipped onto his back, hands spread on either side of his head. He laid there for a few minutes, gathering the strength it would take to start moving while his stomach continued to make dying whale noises. 

 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m going…” He grumbled under his breath, and rolled off the edge of his bed. 

 

He tiptoed into the kitchen, trying his best to soften his footsteps so he didn’t wake Hunk, who disapproved of his midnight snacks because it ruined a ‘perfectly good meal schedule’. When Lance entered the kitchen, he began rummaging through his portion of the snack cupboard in search of his stash of M&M cookies, moving aside various bags of chips and candy as he did so. He spotted the bright blue package behind a half empty container of chocolate chips, and felt particularly triumphant. Lance pulled out the package out and ripped it open, his stomach making itself known once again. 

 

Only to find that the box was empty. 

 

Lanced groaned silently as he threw the empty box away, and wondered whether he could make do for one night. He drummed his fingers on the counter as he reasoned with himself. No, he did not really didn’t  _ need _ M&M cookies right this instant. Yes, he could last on an apple until the morning. But… did he really want to? (The answer was no, his stomach craved for M&M cookies right this instant, and M&M cookies alone.) 

 

The most obvious solution was to run to the 24 hour convenience store the Garrison had on site to replenish his stock, so he made a quick trip to his bedroom to grab a jacket before heading out. He ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to make it lay down flat as his feet hit the concrete outside, cool air kissing his skin. 

 

As he walked down the path, Lance trained his sight outside of the Garrison walls. On the horizon, he could just barely make out the rocky cliffs where he had found the Blue Lion all those years ago, still standing despite the years of warfare and repair. He found this thought oddly comforting. The world around him was asleep, interrupted only by the occasional chirp of a cicada in the brushes. Lance let the quietness soothe him for a moment, dulling his senses until his mind was quiet and focused only on what was around him. 

 

The convenience store was mostly empty, save for the cashier and someone in a beanie in the candy aisle. Lance waved and gave a sleepy smile to the cashier as he walked in, and made his way towards the snack aisle. Humming quietly to the song that was playing through his earbuds (Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA, because why not?), Lance scanned the shelves until he found what he was looking for. With a triumphant smirk, he swiped the box off the shelf and made his way to the register. He passed the candy aisle on the way there, and quickly doubled back, eyes squinting as he took a closer look at the stranger in the beanie. 

 

The stranger had a shopping basket just about half filled with an impressive assortment of candies, and seemed as if he was struggling to choose between the two in his hands. Lance caught sight of a white tendril as it poked out from the edge of his beanie and couldn’t believe his luck. With a grin, he paused his music and took out his earbuds. He stepped into the aisle, hands stuffed in his pockets and cookie box tucked under his arm. 

 

“Need some help?”

 

Shiro shook his head, still looking at the two items in his hands. “Oh, no, thank you. I’m just -” He stopped abruptly as he looked up midspeech. He was rumpled with sleep, dressed in plaid pajama bottoms and a grey Garrison sweatshirt. A pair of glasses were perched on the bridge of his nose. There were dark circles under his eyes, and if Lance let himself imagine, his hair would be unkempt and curly from tossing and turning in the night. Despite looking bedraggled, Shiro gave Lance a bright smile. 

 

“Just trying to decide if you want to take the entire aisle with you?” Lance mused, gesturing to the shopping basket looped around Shiro’s arm. 

 

Shiro blushed. “I have a bit of a sweet tooth,” He admitted sheepishly. 

 

Lance held up his cookies. “No judgement here. I was going to tell you to go for it, if you were actually considering,” 

 

Shiro laughed, and shook his head. “Not today, but you  _ can  _ help me out with this...” He held up the two packets he was holding. “Which one is better?”

 

The choice was between Starbursts and sour Skittles, which wasn’t much of a choice at all. “Skittles,” Lance said, offended that Shiro had ever been considering the Starbursts in the first place. 

 

Shiro looked at the Skittles, eyebrows raised. “I’m not usually a fan of sour sweets,” 

 

Lance stepped forward and grabbed the pack out of his hands and dropped it into the basket with a slightly mischievous smile. “These are worth it,” 

 

Shiro watched the bag hit the bottom with amusement. Lance took a step back and regarded Shiro. At a glance, Shiro looked fine ( _ really  _ fine), but it was the little details that were throwing Lance a little off. He seemed a lot better than he did a few days ago, no longer feverish, but there were dark circles under his eyes, and a stern set to his mouth that always pointed towards a preoccupied mind. Lance didn’t want to push him to reveal anything he didn’t want to, so he let the matter hang in the back of his mind as he took another step backwards. “Anyways, I’m going to check out,” He said. “Are you almost done?” 

 

Shiro nodded. “I think this is enough for tonight,” He cleared his throat, and met Lance’s eyes. “Would you mind if I walked back with you?”

 

Lance smiled softly. “As if you have to ask,” He chided. “Come on, it’s way past your bedtime.” 

 

It was a lot easier to joke around than to see Shiro’s expression soften and fill with the  _ something more  _ Lance was looking for. Making him laugh was easier than trying to process all the emotions that were bubbling through Lance before he could find his footing. Lance turned around and let the sound of Shiro’s adorable sound of indignance find a place in his ‘Cute Shiro’ album. 

 

~*~

 

The air was still cool. The world was still asleep. The cicadas were still chirping away, only this time Shiro’s arm was brushing against his, and Lance could detect the faint scent of his cologne, worn by the day but still noticeable. Lance so badly wanted to reach out and slip his hand into one of Shiro’s, to pull him into his apartment and just  _ be  _ with him while he was this tousled version of himself. Instead, he stared at the brushes lining the path, the worn cuffs of his hoodie, poked a hole through the plastic bag he was holding...

 

“I have to admit, you were the last person I expected to see up at this time,” Shiro broke the comfortable silence. 

 

Lance looked up, eyebrow raised. “Really? Why’s that?”

 

Shiro shrugged. “I always thought Hunk was a little bit more… strict about midnight snacks? He was while we were in space, at least,”

 

Lance couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, he definitely still is. That’s why he doesn’t know. And can  _ never  _ know,” He shot a pointed look in Shiro’s direction. 

 

“Hey, my lips are sealed only if yours are too,” He shook the two plastic bags his was holding, the candy inside rattling tellingly. 

 

Lance grinned. “Of course, you have my word,” He held out his pink at Shiro, who gave Lance’s hand a flat look before hooking his own pinky through his. Lance lowered his hand, but Shiro didn’t let go so Lance didn’t either. It was the closest the two of them had ever come to holding hands, so Lance waited to see if Shiro pulled back. He didn’t.

This time Lance couldn’t hold back, because his heart was warm and full and he  _ needed  _ to know if Shiro was okay, if there was something on his mind. “Shiro…” He cleared his throat, trying to find the right words. “Why are you up so late?” 

 

Shiro didn’t respond right away. Just as Lance began to wonder if he had screwed things up with his question, Shiro spoke in a hesitant voice. 

 

“Nightmares,” Was all he said, but Lance heard the details in his voice. His heart lurched painfully. He took a step closer towards Shiro, pinkies still attached. 

 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Lance prompted gently, sneaking a peek at Shiro through his bangs. His eyes were miles away. 

 

“Nothing you don’t already know,” Shiro said flatly. “Zarkon. Lotor. Honerva… Sendak…” 

 

Lance felt a shiver travel down his back at the sound of their names. He knew. He knew those dreams well, from witnessing them on Shiro’s face while they were in space, and then by experiencing them himself. 

 

“What did they do?”

 

Shiro sighed and looked up at the stars. “They kept  _ taking.  _ Planets, galaxies, people,” He shuddered. “This time, Lotor took you and the others, and experimented on all of you with quintessence, the same way he did with Romelle’s brother… I was trying to get to you all, but by the time I got there, it was too late,” He hummed in discontent. “I’m always too late,” 

 

Lance stopped walking, and turned to face Shiro so he could see him. “That sounds awful,” Lance whispered, threading his fingers through Shiro’s properly and giving a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry you had to go through that alone,” 

 

Shiro made a low noise somewhere between a sigh and a groan. “There’s not much that can be done about that,” He ran his other hand over his face, suddenly looking decades older. 

 

“You could always call me,” Lance reminded, heart jumping. 

 

“I wouldn’t want to disturb you-”

 

“Shiro,” Lance interrupted delicately, already knowing the argument that Shiro was about to voice. “I know it’s not the easiest to reach out to people when you’re feeling vulnerable, but if you need to talk about it with somebody, I’m here,” He rubbed his thumb in soothing circles over Shiro’s hand, and watched as Shiro’s expression morphed into something raw and unfiltered. “I’ll always be here,”

 

Shiro cleared his throat, and swallowed thickly. There was a pause as he fought with himself, eyes trained on his feet. Lance let him take his time. 

 

Then, “Are you sure it’s okay?” Shiro asked. 

 

Lance nodded. “Absolutely okay,”

 

Shiro paused, nibbling on his bottom lip. “Thank you,” He said gently. 

 

Lance retook his spot shoulder to shoulder with Shiro. “Hush, I don’t want to hear any of that. We should hurry up a bit, it’s starting to get a little chilly.”

 

~*~

 

All the members of Team Voltron stayed in the apartments provided to them by the Garrison, which meant that they all lived relatively close to one another. Shiro insisted on walking Lance all the way back to his apartment, despite the fact his own was on the other side of the complex, and Lance was secretly grateful. They had held hands the entire way back, and Lance wanted to relish the feeling of Shiro’s warm skin against his for as long as he could before they went their separate ways. 

 

Although Shiro’s lingering discomfort from his nightmares fizzled away, Lance could sense there was still something else he wanted to say. Lance didn’t push it. When it came to emotions, Shiro tended to close in on himself, and opening back up took a little bit of time and effort on his behalf. Lance didn’t mind, of course, and was willing to wait for him if he decided to voice his thoughts. Instead, Lance let the silence blanket them until they reached his apartment door. 

 

Lance dug through his pockets as Shiro contemplated. When he finally grasped his keys and slid them into the lock, Shiro spoke. “Do you know how you said I could talk to you whenever I had a nightmare?”

 

Lance’s actions slowed as he turned his full attention onto Shiro. “What about it?”

 

“I want you to know that I’m here for you, too,” He said, turning his eyes onto Lance’s, voice clear with sincerity. “Whatever it is you need,”

 

Lance smiled, his heart warming once again. “ _ Anything _ ?” He teased, waggling his eyebrows. 

 

Shiro immediately blushed. “ _ Lance- _ ” 

 

Lance couldn’t help but let out a giggle, and reached up to brush Shiro’s fringe out of his eyes. The action startled Shiro a little bit, but he leaned into the touch just as quickly. “I know,” Lance whispered. “You’re amazing like that,”

 

He stepped back, keys in hand, and smiled wide.  “Goodnight, Shiro,” 

 

As he stepped back into his apartment, he heard Shiro mumble out a stunned reply, ears becoming redder by the second. Lance’s own cheeks felt warm knowing that, for once, it was he who rendered Shiro speechless. 

 

He leaned against the doorframe, feeling slightly accomplished, and watched Shiro almost trip over his feet as he began to walk away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! i can't believe i've updated twice this summer... i guess i just RLLY LOVE THESE TWO MMMMMMMM... but truthfully, i really enjoy writing this fic because it's stress relieving... shance just does that for me ya feel? anyways, i hope you enjoyed this chapter! as always, comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated <3 
> 
> hope you beans have a lovely day!
> 
> vvv --- socials --- vvv
> 
> tumblr: lancedmcclain.tumblr.com  
> twitter: @aurokoi  
> insta: @excelsior.aep   
> yt: excelsior

**Author's Note:**

> if you enjoyed it, please leave kudos/comments! they make my day. constructive criticism is always appreciated.  
> 


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